All Blacks 2022

TheMojoman

@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2022:

@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2022:

Ioane is now one of the top players in two positions at Test level, delivered - objectively - on the field.

If he has a top season at test level at centre this year then yeah, top player in two positions. Last year he was very good, but still looked like a winger doing a good job at centre. This year to me, at Super level, he is looking more and more like a centre. Hoping he can show it at Test level too.

At test level he'll need a decent 12 next to him - solid playmaking and kicking with the ability to bend the line and give Ioane some space to use his pace to try and get outside of his defender. A blend of Havili/Tupaea.

cgrant

@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:

@cgrant If he still played on the wing, yes. Not as a midfielder.

Please name a better centre. Fickou ? Ringrose ? Hmmm, RI all day IMO.

Bones

@cgrant said in All Blacks 2022:

@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:

@cgrant If he still played on the wing, yes. Not as a midfielder.

Please name a better centre. Fickou ? Ringrose ? Hmmm, RI all day IMO.

Fickou definitely, RI not a million miles behind though.

Bones

@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2022:

the inconsistency of JB.

There's that lag again...

MN5

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2022:

@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2022:

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2022:

Well....this is a mature conversation......

As opposed to which Fern conversations?

Awful analysis, incorrect conclusions, zero insight
Wrong about pretty much everything

It’s amazing how many ferners don’t admit this though.

No Quarter

My 2c..

I've got Rieko as one of the best rugby players in the world, every single team would give their left testicle to have him in their starting lineup at either 11 or 13. Low error rate, strong tackler and fucking lethal on attack. Absolutely world class.

I've also got Aaron Smith as the best halfback bar none. Every 10 around dreams of playing outside him just for the extra space he gives with his pass alone, without mentioning his game awareness and great option taking. The ABs always look threatening with him at 9.

Jordie and Jordan are both right up there at 14 and 15. Jordie solid as a rock at the back, strong tackler, strong runner and a fantastic kicking game to boot. Jordan looks like he's going to end up an AB great alongside the likes of Cully, he's just freakish with ball in hand and can break open any test with 1/4 of an opportunity.

Our starting backline is actually stupidly good. It's our forwards where we are struggling a bit - two past greats in Whitelock and Retallick in the twilight of their careers without anyone new really stamping their mark to put them out to pasture. Same in the front row, some decent options but nobody really dominating and screaming pick me. Though Samisoni has future great written all over him but early days yet.

Akira has the potential to be great, but needs to be more consistent. Dalton is a future great but again early days. Ardie is great at what he does, but is being played out of position affecting the balance of our loose trio.

We have loads of talent and some of the worlds best sprinkled through the team, we just need a gameplan that actually plays to our strengths and we'll be extremely difficult to beat.

antipodean

@cgrant said in All Blacks 2022:

@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:

@cgrant If he still played on the wing, yes. Not as a midfielder.

Please name a better centre. Fickou ? Ringrose ? Hmmm, RI all day IMO.

Lukanyo Am was named as TSF's centre for last year, and he was decidedly average.

antipodean

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2022:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2022:

@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2022:

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2022:

Well....this is a mature conversation......

As opposed to which Fern conversations?

Awful analysis, incorrect conclusions, zero insight
Wrong about pretty much everything

It’s amazing how many ferners don’t admit this though.

I'm more than prepared to admit it's perfectly correct about a lot of you.

KiwiMurph

With Fakatava unlikely to have his eligibility sorted by the Irish series, barring injury you'd have to think the 3rd halfback spot will come down to either Weber or Perenara (behind Smith and Christie). Will Weber be able to show form coming back from injury or do they go with Perenara?

If Weber gets some form back they could pick Weber and run Perenara in the Maori ABs (Ratima seems like a good selection for Maori ABs).

gt12

@antipodean said in All Blacks 2022:

@cgrant said in All Blacks 2022:

@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:

@cgrant If he still played on the wing, yes. Not as a midfielder.

Please name a better centre. Fickou ? Ringrose ? Hmmm, RI all day IMO.

Lukanyo Am was named as TSF's centre for last year, and he was decidedly average.

I was coming to post exactly the same thing. He’d also make any team at either 11 or 13.

nzzp

@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2022:

We have loads of talent and some of the worlds best sprinkled through the team, we just need a gameplan that actually plays to our strengths and we'll be extremely difficult to beat.

Figure out the right 6,
don't play Jordie and George on the wings,

junior

@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:

@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:

@cgrant If he still played on the wing, yes. Not as a midfielder.

there isn't a team in the world that wouldn't take RI on current form at 13

He would transform Ireland to RWC favourites instantly for instance

Agreed - every other team in the world would look at his obvious qualities as being an improvement to their team, rather than looking at his weaknesses (which can be improved simply with more game time) and saying he's not fit to play in the midfield (which sadly is a typical AB supporter's view of not just Rieko but almost everyone in black)

junior

@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:

I can't believe they didn't include Hosea Gear flattening Keith Earls in that compilation

Bovidae

@junior They couldn't include them all. Obviously, they saved the best for last, but I also liked Canes and SBW's tries in Hamilton in 2012 in a 60-0 route.

Crucial

@TheMojoman said in All Blacks 2022:

@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2022:

@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2022:

Ioane is now one of the top players in two positions at Test level, delivered - objectively - on the field.

If he has a top season at test level at centre this year then yeah, top player in two positions. Last year he was very good, but still looked like a winger doing a good job at centre. This year to me, at Super level, he is looking more and more like a centre. Hoping he can show it at Test level too.

At test level he'll need a decent 12 next to him - solid playmaking and kicking with the ability to bend the line and give Ioane some space to use his pace to try and get outside of his defender. A blend of Havili/Tupaea.

An example of why us old buggers from different eras of play really have no idea.
These days players align everywhere and anywhere. RI appears on the wing as much as centre and the 12 is often the 13 with fullback or wing between them and the 10.
We need to stop picturing players in traditional first phase spots.

junior

@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:

@TheMojoman said in All Blacks 2022:

@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2022:

@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2022:

Ioane is now one of the top players in two positions at Test level, delivered - objectively - on the field.

If he has a top season at test level at centre this year then yeah, top player in two positions. Last year he was very good, but still looked like a winger doing a good job at centre. This year to me, at Super level, he is looking more and more like a centre. Hoping he can show it at Test level too.

At test level he'll need a decent 12 next to him - solid playmaking and kicking with the ability to bend the line and give Ioane some space to use his pace to try and get outside of his defender. A blend of Havili/Tupaea.

An example of why us old buggers from different eras of play really have no idea.
These days players align everywhere and anywhere. RI appears on the wing as much as centre and the 12 is often the 13 with fullback or wing between them and the 10.
We need to stop picturing players in traditional first phase spots.

So true - rugby is now, and has been for some time, much more "zonal" (for lack of a better term). Players play in their best position on the field, hence why you have Akira and Coles out on the flanks where their running ability can be exploited while also ensuring ball winners (i.e. ruck work) in the wider channels.

Mackerzzzz

World cup lineup:

I know it's a while out, but I like doing pointless squads...

Moody?,Hogman?, Norris?
S Taukei'aho
O Tu'ungafasi
B Retallick
S Whitelock
T Vaii (personally think he is the future at six)
S Cane (c)
A Savea
A Smith
B Barrett
C Clarke
J Barrett
R Ioane
S Reece
W Jordan
C Taylor
No idea. Can we steal Antonio from the French? He is Kiwi so...
Is it to soon for the mighty Williams?
S Barrett
D Papalii
F Fakatava
R Mo'unga
L Fainga'anuku or RTS

Biggest weaknesses are props, and possibly second five.

Canes4life

I’ve got a feeling old mate Foster is gearing up for a J Barrett / R Ioane midfield combo this year. Whether that happens straight away remains to be seen but I do think we will see it at some point.

It also allows Jordan to make the fullback jersey his own.

Canes4life

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The Silver Fern

All Blacks 2022